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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26960023">Monochromatic</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaybeefoxy/pseuds/Jaybeefoxy'>Jaybeefoxy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flufftober Prompts 2020 [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sherlock (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Do Not Translate, Fluff, Flufftober 2020, Flufftober Mystrade, Greg doesn't see himself as handsome, M/M, Mycroft is an artist, Mycroft thinks Greg is gorgeous, You do not have permission to post to another site, mystrade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:28:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>587</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26960023</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaybeefoxy/pseuds/Jaybeefoxy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Monochrome is a single colour. Mycroft paints a tonal study of his partner, but Greg is surprised.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Flufftober Prompts 2020 [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950532</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>93</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Monochromatic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Part 9 of Flufftober prompts.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Gregory...do sit still. Please…”</p><p>“I’ve got an itch…”</p><p>Mycroft sighed. “Then scratch, but please return to your former position.” Greg shifted around and managed to get his hand on the offending spot, sighing in relief. Mycroft rolled his eyes. “Seriously, Gregory?”</p><p>“Sorry. It’s not my fault if sitting on this chair makes my bum itch. It was your idea to draw me. This chair is bloody uncomfortable.”</p><p>“My apologies, my love. I have nearly finished.”</p><p>“Good. You...um...you don’t look like you’ve used too many colours.”</p><p>“I have only used one. Different tones of one colour. In this case, purple.”</p><p>“Purple? Why purple?”</p><p>“It suits you. Besides, purple represents attraction to both sexes, it is the Bisexual identifier.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah, it is, isn’t it?” </p><p>“Purple is also the colour most associated with the Emperors of Rome. The Emperor’s toga was solid purple, the most expensive dye available. It lends a gravitas to your demeanor, Gregory.”</p><p>“All that from a colour?”</p><p>“Colours are symbols in their own right.”</p><p>“Never thought of myself in purple. Why only one colour?”</p><p>“I wanted to try <strong>monochromatic</strong> painting, simply so that the colour did not detract from the details of the sitter, and I also wanted to attempt some tonal sketches.”</p><p><em>Whatever that means, </em>Greg thought, shifting uncomfortably.</p><p>“Alright, Gregory, you may move.” </p><p>Greg groaned as he got up, stretching his legs that were threatening to go numb. “Can I see?”</p><p>Mycroft looked up at the slightly challenging tone. “I suppose so.” Greg joined him, peering over his shoulder while rubbing some feeling back into his rather plush (in Mycroft’s opinion) posterior. </p><p>“Wow.” The word was almost breathed rather than spoken, and with awe. “That’s… that’s me?”</p><p>“Is it not obvious?” Mycroft turned to look at Gregory and his voice stalled in his throat. Gregory was rendered speechless, eyes bright, and fighting back emotion. “I...Gregory?”</p><p>“Oh...Mycroft,” he husked, with difficulty. “That’s...<em>amazing</em>.” Greg swallowed down a lump in his throat. Nobody had ever painted him, never mind put so much into such a simple thing. He was...the <em>painting</em> was beautiful. It was all shades of purple, from the palest lilac to the deepest violet. Mycroft had painted the delicate folds of his shirt, the curves of his ears, the depths of his eyes...<em>oh, God, my eyes… </em>“I don’t look like this…” Greg shook his head to emphasize his disbelief. The look Mycroft gave him was wary, uncertain.</p><p>“You don’t like it?”</p><p>“Like it? It’s fucking amazing is what it is. It’s just...I don’t look like that. I’m not...not good looking. Not like that, not like <em>him</em>” he said, gesturing to the man in the portrait.</p><p>“I don’t understand.” Mycroft looked genuinely puzzled.</p><p>“He’s...<em>gorgeous</em>, Mycroft. He’s beautiful. That isn’t me…”</p><p>“Gregory, stop!” Mycroft looked surprised, horrified. “I do not know what has caused you to possess such a poor opinion of yourself, but it is untrue. If anything my painting does <em>not</em> look like you, but not because you lack beauty. My skill cannot hope to do you justice, Gregory. I simply do not have the ability…”</p><p>“Bloody Hell, Myc. You possess amazing talent. I just...don’t know what to say.”</p><p>“Don’t say anything. This...this <em>is </em>you, my dear.”</p><p>“Sorry, Myc, it’s just….it’s not how I see myself, that’s all.” He glanced at Mycroft and what he saw took his breath away. </p><p>“Gregory, I adore you, and this is how <em>I </em>see you,” Mycroft said, and his eyes were filled with love.</p>
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